It’s a daunting feeling leading-up to an assessment, and there are many questions that may cross your mind. “Are we ready for the audit?” “I wonder how we are going to do.” “What if I forgot something?” As many QA professionals will tell you, the question of audit readiness is a bit of a
Accreditation Advances Public Safety Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Facts¹ There is a cyber-attack every 39 seconds worldwide. Cybersecurity statistics show that the total damage caused by cybercriminals is estimated to have reached $6 trillion in 2022. Cybersecurity stats reveal that small firms invest less than $500 on cybersecurity on
Lessons Learned with DoD/DOE QSM 6.0
The transition to DoD/DOE QSM 6.0 has proven challenging for many laboratories, often taking longer than anticipated. In some cases, delays were due to higher numbers of nonconformances cited during assessments, while in others, laboratories simply were not prepared for the changes when their
Inspector Monitoring from an ISO/IEC 17020 Perspective
One of the key differences between materials testing and inspection is the idea that inspection relies more heavily on the competency and qualifications of the technical personnel while materials testing results rely heavily on the metrological traceability of the equipment being used. ISO/IEC 17025
Forensic DNA Phenotyping: A Validated Prediction Tool
Forensic DNA Phenotyping is a DNA typing method used to predict visual characteristics of the contributor of the unknown evidence sample or unidentified human remains. It can aid in the determination of externally visible physical characteristics of the contributor including hair color, eye color,
Accreditation Case Study: ViVitro Labs
Imagine you’re the president of a testing organization with two separate labs. Each lab has its own quality management system (QMS), is accredited by different accrediting bodies (ABs) in two different languages, and there’s a nine-hour time difference between them. Operating these labs separately,
The Value of Accreditation
Accreditation is an attestation of a conformity assessment body’s (CAB) competence to perform conformity assessment activities based on a defined scope by an accreditation body, such as A2LA. It demonstrates competence, impartiality, and capabilities of CABs, thereby delivering confidence in goods
Building a Quality Culture at the Laboratory
Quality culture is built on the foundations of trust, active participation, and effective communication, where the achievement of quality objectives is cultivated through the involvement of employees. Culture is a learned behavior that is developed through interactions with other individuals within